New York Fetal Hypoxia

Fetal hypoxia occurs when the baby is deprived of an adequate amount of oxygen during pregnancy. When a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen, after a relatively short period of time brain cells begin to die, resulting in permanent brain damage. Depending on the length of time of the oxygen deprivation, the brain damage can be severe, leaving the baby with permanent disabilities. There are a variety of reasons that a baby may be deprived of oxygen during pregnancy. Regardless of the reason, there are definite signs that indicate that the baby is distress. It is up to the doctor to immediately treat the condition that is causing fetal hypoxia. Failure to do so can lead to permanent harm to the baby, and may amount to medical negligence. If your baby has brain damage from fetal hypoxia that you believe was caused by your doctor’s negligence, immediately contact an experienced New York fetal hypoxia lawyer who will carefully review your medical records and explain your legal options.

There are numerous factors that can put a baby at risk for fetal distress, including:

• Maternal anemia. Anemia is the lack of adequate healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues in the body.
• Oligohydraminos. Oligohydramnios is a deficiency in the amount of fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus.
• Postmaturity. Pregnancies at 42 weeks or more.
• Intrauterine Growth Retardation. Slow fetal growth.

If any of these risk factors present, it is incumbent upon the doctor to closely monitor the baby for signs of distress. A widely used method of monitoring fetal distress is the use of an electronic fetal heart rate monitor. An electronic monitor alerts the doctor to hypoxia and the baby’s response to hypoxia. This allows the doctor to quickly respond to fetal distress and avoid or minimize brain damage. On the other hand failure to monitor the baby despite the presence of risk factors may amount to medical negligence, and should be discussed with a New York fetal hypoxia lawyer if your baby sustained a severe birth injury as a result of fetal hypoxia.

Options for treating fetal distress include attempting intrauterine resuscitation by changing the mother’s position, ensuring the mother is well-hydrated, ensuring the mother is adequately oxygenated, amnioinfusion to alleviate compression of the umbilical cord, tocolysis to stop contraction, or intravenous hypertonic dextrose. In some situations the only option to alleviate fetal hypoxia is to deliver the baby via emergency c-section. It is up to the doctor to know the appropriate course of action given the circumstances.

If you feel that medical negligence caused your child to suffer a serious injury due to fetal hypoxia, you have to right to pursue a medical malpractice claim against your doctor. As a fetal hypoxia attorney in New York will explain, in order to prevail and win compensation, you must first prove that a doctor-client relationship existed between you and the doctor you are suing. You must have evidence that your doctor deviated from accepted medical standards in the treatment of you and your baby. You must also show that that because your doctor deviated from accepted medical standards, your baby suffered serious injuries. Damages available from a medical malpractice lawsuit include medical expenses related to your child’s injury, loss of future earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

If your baby suffered a severe injury such as brain damage due to fetal hypoxia, and you believe that it was caused by the negligence of your doctor, nurse or other medical professional, it is important that you have experienced representation. Medical professionals accused of medical malpractice will be hesitant to admit responsibility due to the potential financial consequences of doing so. If they do offer a settlement, there is a good chance that the offer will not be favorable to you. This is why it is critical that you are represented by a skilled fetal hypoxia attorney serving New York. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by medical professionals. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.